Keeping Your Black Cat Safe This Halloween

Life isn’t easy for black cats. The fact that they often don’t photograph well combined with all the poor unlucky mythology surrounding them increases the odds of a black cat spending its entire life in a shelter.

People who have a black cat that they love get especially nervous around Halloween. The fear is that someone will spot the cat, capture it, and use it as some macabre Halloween decoration.

The good news is that there are many things you can do to help keep your black cat safe this Halloween.

The best way to make sure your cat stays safe this Halloween is to dedicate yourself to making sure that they are strictly an indoor cat. Keeping them inside not only keeps them safe during Halloween, but studies prove that indoor cats live significantly longer than outdoor/indoor cats. With enough stimulation, your black cat will love staying indoors full time.

By keeping your black cat inside, you protect them from:

• Getting into fights with stray, feral cats
• No longer have to worry about being struck and hurt/killed by a car
• Protect them from getting into pesticides, insecticides, and other outdoor toxins
• They won’t run across anyone who is intent on harming any cat they see
• Protect them from catching diseases that are prevalent in feral cat colonies.

Keeping your cat indoors is just one of the things you can do to protect them on Halloween.

If you’re welcoming trick and treaters to your home, you’ll be opening and closing your door a lot. Each time you open it, you’re creating a situation where your cat may decide to rush out. Rather than running the risk of an escaped kitty, confine your cat to a part of your home where it won’t be anywhere near the front door when it opens. If they’re not usually locked into that section of the home, spend a few days leading up to Halloween acclimating them to the idea. Don’t forget to set them up with toys, water, and a litter box.

If you live in an area where there are fireworks or loud parties on Halloween, it’s possible that your black cat (and any other pets you have in your home) are going to be stressed. It is worth your time to speak to your vet about the possibility of medications and/or natural remedies that will help them relax.

With a little prep work, there’s no reason you and your black cat won’t enjoy a happy and safe Halloween.